Definitely an act of sabotage: police

Police suspect that supporters of the ongoing countrywide hartal were responsible for setting fire to three carriages of the Mohanganj Express in Tejgaon early today, leaving at least four people dead.

Anwar Hossain, superintendent of Dhaka Railway Police, said, "It is definitely an act of sabotage. We suspect pro-blockade and hartal supporters are behind this crime.

"The arson attacks are being carried out hours before and during the hartal and blockade programmes. We are trying to identify and arrest those who torched the train," he told The Daily Star.

Apart from railway police, different wings of law enforcement including the Dhaka Metropolitan Police are working in this regard, he added.

The BNP and its allies have called a countrywide dawn-till-dusk hartal today. The opposition party is protesting the schedule of the national election announced by the Election Commission.

Members of bomb disposal unit of police, collecting evidence from the bogies, said primary investigation suggests it was not possible for the fire to spread so quickly without use of petrol.

In a press release issued following the incident, BNP's Joint Secretary General called for the immediate arrest of those involved in torching the train.

"Those who set fire to the train at Tejgaon today and extinguished the life of four passengers are undoubtedly a disgrace to humanity … There is deep skepticism among the people as to whether this is a ploy to divert public attention away from the ongoing democratic movement. This is a case of well-planned sabotage.

"On behalf of the BNP, I strongly call for the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the miscreants involved in the Mohanganj Express train fire incident. May the departed souls rest in peace and the injured get well soon."